• The KillerFrogs

FWST: How an assistant basketball coach turned TCU’s golf program into a powerhouse

Rana1

Full Member
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I played a few of the last holes on the front nine at Mira Vista on Friday with a couple of TCU golfers. They were a freshman named Alejandro and a junior named Stefano. Both were great players. Out drove me by at least 100 yards and I smashed one (for an old). We have a lot of TCU players on the course during the week. We have some exceptional CCs in Fort Worth with Colonial, Shady, and Mira Vista for them to choose from.
Having your own facility is more about getting top recruits than it is about player development. It is the same way for football... you have to have the wow factor for visits and getting kids to campus. FW country clubs are nice but nothing above average compared to other top programs.
Montigel has done well with the hand he has been dealt. It would take a serious investment from the athletic department but probably not something that is a huge priority.
A "serious investment from the athletic department" for the golf programs is not likely any time soon. We have Title IX concerns that will require funding in the short term.
We need to figure out how to be creative in raising funds that are specific to the golf programs.
 

monkeyfishfrog

Active Member
There was a small window where TCU May have acquired the oven right after Nike announced the departure from golf equipment. However the ship has sailed on that idea, as it has now been acquired by two of the veteran Nike club makers (Taylor and Hatfield) who started Artisan golf (small boutique of Uber expensive handmade clubs). They cater to a handful of tour pros (including a certain cat, who has branded their irons with another OEM logo) and amateurs willing to spend about 1k on a custom putter or 1-1.5k on a set of wedges.
 

flyfishingfrog

Active Member
There was a small window where TCU May have acquired the oven right after Nike announced the departure from golf equipment. However the ship has sailed on that idea, as it has now been acquired by two of the veteran Nike club makers (Taylor and Hatfield) who started Artisan golf (small boutique of Uber expensive handmade clubs). They cater to a handful of tour pros (including a certain cat, who has branded their irons with another OEM logo) and amateurs willing to spend about 1k on a custom putter or 1-1.5k on a set of wedges.
well good - then when they go under trying to the same thing about 100 other guys have done in the past and only a few who sold out to larger names ever made money doing - TCU can get it on even better firesale...
 

monkeyfishfrog

Active Member
well good - then when they go under trying to the same thing about 100 other guys have done in the past and only a few who sold out to larger names ever made money doing - TCU can get it on even better firesale...

Maybe you’re right. At first you might think that there would be no demand for such ridiculously expensive clubs, but as far as I know they have a year plus wait list. Once word got out about big cat and these old Nike staffers like Patrick Reed that they are making clubs for, they blew up. So although you may be right, I highly doubt it.
 

flyfishingfrog

Active Member
Maybe you’re right. At first you might think that there would be no demand for such ridiculously expensive clubs, but as far as I know they have a year plus wait list. Once word got out about big cat and these old Nike staffers like Patrick Reed that they are making clubs for, they blew up. So although you may be right, I highly doubt it.
I get that but if you do the math - they will end up where a lot of other custom club makers have been - maybe they can get the replica Newport to be something special enough to buy it over the original from the studio if you want that logo you are talking about on it.

and maybe they can create something worth paying big money for in the wedge game after the initial excitement wears off

but even at $1000 a club - selling and making two a day per business day of the year will barely turn a profit much less make a living.

Just look at the actual financial results for PXG when they are honest about their R&D and marketing costs - its a hobby more than a business.

so at some point they will come to the same realization that most of the guys who have their names on clubs already have in the past - you either make a name and then sell out to a major manufacturer to become their "designer" so they mass produce your engineering specs - or you go find something else to do.

I used to see lots of them wandering around Mon - Wed at the range when I ran it during the tournament and they are all great guys with big ideas - but golf is already a niche market even at a mass marketing level...
 
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